Artist's Dream (19 page)

and her orgasm hit with such force, her hips lifted off the bed as her fingers dug into Luke’s shoulders, and her breath hissed between her teeth as she screamed out her pleasure.

Her fingers relaxed their grip on Luke and her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to catch her breath. Luke’s head rested on Cassie’s thigh, and Cassie could feel Luke’s rapid breathing against her l
eg.

“That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced,” Cassie finally murmured. “Come up here.”

She pulled Luke to her, brushing the damp hair off her foreŹhead. Her thumb touched Luke’s lower lip as Luke sought her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Luke finally whispered.

“Shhh, shhh … no.” It was her turn to capture Luke’s eyes. “I wanted you, needed you like that. Don’t you say you’re sorry.”

“Are you okay? I shouldn’t have …”

“Yes. You’re such a sweetheart, Luke, do you know that? You’re the first person that’s ever … made love to me like that.”

Cassie’s eyes softened, and she leaned forward, kissing Luke lightly, tasting herself on Luke’s lips. Her mouth went back for more, her tongue grazing Luke’s teeth before slipping inside her warm mouth. She felt surprisingly in control, and her hands had a will of their own as they boldly touched Luke’s breasts for the first time, her thumbs rubbing over the taut nipples as they pressed against Luke’s sweater.

Luke moaned into her mouth, and Cassie pushed her down on the bed, laying her naked body across Luke’s still clothed one.

“Let me make love to you,” Cassie whispered. Her eyes searched Luke’s, trying to read them, seeing only desire as her mouth covered Luke’s again. “Teach me.”

She tried to tell herself that she didn’t know what she was doing, that she had no idea how to please a woman, but her hands wouldn’t wait. They pulled Luke’s sweater over her head in one motion then eagerly touched soft, smooth skin. Luke’s exquisite body unfolded before her, Luke’s muscled frame surprisingly soft to her touch. With a groan, her mouth found Luke’s breast, and

her tongue danced over the swollen nipple before sucking it into her mouth.

Her body knew exactly what to do, even if she didn’t, and her hands cupped Luke’s small breasts, holding them for her greedy mouth as Luke’s hands in her hair held her there.

Desire burned inside Cassie, and she fumbled with Luke’s slacks, but the buttons refused to cooperate. She sat up, her mouth leaving Luke’s breast, Luke’s whimper sweet music to her ears.

“Please,” Cassie begged. “Help me with these.”

Luke’s smile was gentle as she slowly unbuttoned them, but Cassie’s eager hands pushed Luke’s aside, and she shoved the slacks down Luke’s legs, thin cotton briefs now her only barrier. She bit her lip and swallowed, wanting to tell Luke that she was scared, that she didn’t know what to do. But Luke’s eyes were closed, her hands moving to Cassie’s face, urging her mouth back to Luke’s breast.

While Cassie’s mouth feasted, her hands moved over Luke’s body, loving the way her velvet skin felt to her touch. Her hands moved down Luke’s thighs then slowly back up again. She wanted so badly to touch Luke that her hands trembled when they touched soft cotton. Her lips moved back to Luke’s mouth, groanŹing when Luke’s tongue met her own. Then Luke’s hands moved over her back, cupped her hips and brought Cassie intimately against her, the thin cotton barrier the only thing separating them. Cassie’s hips surged against Luke, straining to touch her and their hips and pelvis rocked together and Cassie felt wetness flood her again. Without thinking, her hand moved between them, slipping past the offending barrier, her fingers sinking into warm wetness.

“Oh, Luke,” she groaned. She couldn’t have imagined this feelŹing, the wetness surrounding her fingers, hips rising up to meet her hand, warm flesh enveloping her, holding her captive. Her finŹgers moved through the wetness with ease, then, at Luke’s urging, her fingers slipped inside, delving deep, meeting Luke’s rising hips. Cassie’s eyes were half-opened as she watched pleasure transform Luke’s face.

Then Luke gently pulled Cassie from inside her, pressing Cassie’s fingers against her, showing her the rhythm she needed as Cassie stroked her. Luke’s hands left her, fists digging into the bedŹspread and Cassie’s mouth covered her breast again as her fingers stroked Luke faster until Luke’s hips surged up to meet her, and she heard her name gasped from Luke’s lips again and again.

“Cassie,” Luke breathed, and she gathered Cassie to her.

Cassie felt Luke’s heart pounding beneath her ear, and she closed her eyes, hoping she had given Luke pleasure.

“I’ve wanted you for so long,” Cassie murmured. “I had no idea it would feel this way.”

Her last conscious thought before an exhausted sleep claimed her was Luke’s lazy hand moving between her thighs … and her own mouth still at Luke’s breast.

Cassie woke slowly, disorientated. She was sleeping at the foot of the bed, the sheets and comforter a tangled mess on the floor. She sat up then, and a contented, exhausted smile warmed her. Every muscle in her body screamed as she rolled over, and she closed her eyes again, wanting to savor her night with Luke for a little longer. Her body quivered as she thought of Luke’s fingers touching her, moving over her … and in her. They had done incredibly intimate things with one another last night, but Cassie felt none of the embarrassment that she had anticipated. She rolled onto her side and replayed the scenes from last night.

“Am I doing this right?”

“You’re perfect.”

Now she blushed as she remembered her uncertain question to Luke as her hands had spread Luke’s thighs. And she blushed again as she remembered Luke’s mouth on her body, Luke’s lips and tongue taking her as she ripped the sheets from the bed.

“Jesus,” she murmured, and she squeezed her legs tight. She was ready. She wanted Luke again.

Then she sat up. Where was Luke? The house was too quiet. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and sighed, her body protesting. When she rubbed her face with her hands, Luke’s scent assailed her, and she brought her fingers to her nose, feeling weak all over again. She wanted her mouth on Luke. She wanted to taste her… she had wanted it last night but she had not dared. She had felt clumsy, foolish, wanton. But now, the desire was too strong. She licked her lips, imagining Luke under her mouth, imagining her wetness, and she groaned again.

She had nothing to compare this want and need to. Perhaps it was just all these years of pent-up desires finally surfacing. She had a lot of time to make up for.

She reached for her robe and saw her clothes neatly folded on the chair beside the bed. Luke must have folded them. Her clothes had been where she had left them. In a forgotten heap by the bed.

In the kitchen, she saw the note. She was afraid to go to it, and she stood staring at the table for the longest time. It was good-bye, she knew. She was to have just one night. In her mind, she saw how inadequate she must have been. Luke had run. Cassie thought, perhaps foolishly, that Luke had enjoyed their lovemaking, that Luke had been … satisfied.

She wrapped her arms across her chest, then made herself walk to the table. The first sentence stilled her nerves a bit as she let out a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t want to leave your arms this morning, Cass,” Luke had written. “Last night was so incredible for me, I hope it was for you, too. I thought you might need some time to yourself. I won’t force things. Call me when you’re ready. And if you change your mind, I’ll understand.”

Cassie closed her eyes, clutching the note to her. Change my mind? God, after last night, was there any doubt? It was far too late for Cassie to change her mind. She read the note again, wondering if the last sentence was hard for Luke to write.

She made coffee in a daze, her mind never wandering far from

last night. She didn’t know how she was supposed to feel this morning, and she couldn’t seem to concentrate on anything. The scenes in her mind were like a motion picture, and she continued to rewind every one, over and over again.

She should be exhausted but she felt very much alive. And happy, she noted, as she smiled to herself. She felt… free. Finally.

She took a steaming cup of coffee and filled the bath, then slipped into the hot, bubbly water, enveloping her skin much like Luke’s hands had done. A lazy smile covered her face, and shutting her eyes, she allowed Luke’s hands to roam over her again.

Cassie could feel the change in herself. She wondered if it would show.

But she no longer cared, she realized. This newfound sense of freedom that she felt wasn’t going to be easy to hide. Luke had set her spirit free and all Cassie felt like doing now was embracing her happiness, embracing her new life.

Embracing Luke.

Her body tingled as she toweled off, and her breasts ached. She wanted to go to Luke right now, she wanted to be in her arms, she wanted … to make love with her again.

She felt nearly insatiable, and she pulled on the first pair of jeans she found. She slipped an old sweatshirt on, shoved her sock-less feet into her Nikes, and grabbed her keys.

She didn’t stop to wonder if Luke would want to see her now, if Luke was even home. The only thing on her mind was having Luke’s naked body in her arms.

As she stood by Luke’s door, she realized she was trembling. She could hardly contain this want, this need, this burning desire to feel Luke’s touch upon her, to have her own hands on Luke’s body.

Luke answered her urgent knock quickly. Their eyes locked and held, and Cassie’s chest heaved as relief… and desire flooded Luke’s dark eyes.

Luke’s hair was still damp from her shower and her T-shirt hid nothing as Cassie’s eyes roamed over her body, locking on the erect nipples straining against Luke’s shirt.

Cassie opened her mouth to speak, but there were no words to convey what she was feeling. Instead, she went to Luke, trembling arms sliding over strong shoulders. Luke’s hands at her waist drew her closer. Their kiss was bruising, demanding, and Luke pinned her against the door.

Her body pressed hard against Luke, and her tongue shoved wildly into Luke’s hot mouth. Luke cupped Cassie’s hips and pulled her intimately against her, causing Cassie to groan loudly. Visions of last night flashed before her, and Cassie grew weak when Luke sucked her tongue deeper into her mouth.

Cassie shoved a knee between Luke’s thighs, much like Luke had done to her that night of the party, her mouth covering Luke’s breast, her tongue stroking the nipple through Luke’s shirt.

“Bedroom,” Luke murmured against her ear. “Now.”

Cassie nodded, then lifted her arms as Luke pulled the sweatŹshirt over her head, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor. Luke’s eyes, then hands found her breasts and Cassie was certain they would never make the bedroom. Then Luke collected herself and took Cassie’s hand, pulling her toward the stairs.

They stopped halfway up, and Cassie slid her hands under Luke’s T-shirt, moving over firm, warm skin. Her mouth would have gone to Luke’s breast again, but Luke captured her lips instead, kissing her so thoroughly Cassie felt her legs threaten to buckle.

“Bedroom,” Luke said again.

“Hurry.”

At Cassie’s urgent request, Luke turned and their eyes met, holding for a long moment, then identical smiles touched their lips followed by quiet laughter.

“Hurry, huh?” Luke teased.

Cassie nodded, only slightly embarrassed. She was far too aroused to be concerned with her lack of composure. She wanted to make love to Luke. She wanted her in the worst way.

Luke’s mistake was stopping at the doorway to her bedroom and kissing Cass
ie.
Cassie could take no more. Her body was on fire, and she pressed against Luke, hands sliding up her arms and over strong shoulders, pinning Luke against the wall. Then, in one

swift motion, her hands yanked Luke’s sweatpants down, and she touched warm flesh. Her mouth went to Luke’s breast, unmindful of her T-shirt. Then she moved to Luke’s mouth, wet and hard, and her hands slipped quickly inside white cotton. She grasped firm buttocks in both hands and squeezed. Her hands wouldn’t still, and Cassie swallowed Luke’s moan as her fingers slid quickly into Luke’s wetness.

Cassie held Luke against the wall as her leg nudged Luke’s thighs farther apart. Their tongues battled as Cassie’s fingers delved deep inside Luke, pulling out slowly, only to dive back, deeper this time, meeting each thrust of Luke’s hips.

Cassie’s mouth again went back to Luke’s breast, her shirt wet from Cassie’s tongue, and Cassie’s lips closed over an erect peak. Luke’s hips thrust wildly against her hand, and her shoulders felt bruised as Luke gripped her hard, holding Cassie to her breast.

Luke’s sharp gasps for breath thrilled Cassie, and her hand moved faster, plunging into Luke until she felt the first tremors shake Luke’s body. Luke’s hips surged once more against Cassie, and her cry was short and quick.

Cassie kept her fingers inside Luke and their eyes held, then Luke’s mouth was soft on Cassie’s as she slowly withdrew her wet fingers.

“Only in my dreams did I imagine this,” Cassie murmured against Luke’s mouth.

“You’re a very quick learner,” Luke teased.

Luke’s hands slid up Cassie’s body, warm fingers closing over her breasts and Cassie surrendered to Luke’s demanding tongue as their mouths met yet again. Her knees felt weak, and she didn’t protest when Luke pulled her to the carpet. Cassie guided Luke to her breast, holding her there as Luke’s wet mouth covered her. Her legs locked around Luke’s thigh and she arched into her, the ache between her legs greater than anything she could possibly comprehend.

Luke’s hand cupped her intimately, the seam of her jeans pressŹing into her, arousing her even more. She wanted to feel Luke’s fingers on her, inside of her.

“Luke … please.” Cassie unbuttoned her jeans and took Luke’s hand, shoving it quickly between her legs. She moaned loudly, her head thrashing when Luke moved through her wetness, slipping easily inside her.